State’s Ombudsman lashes environment department for not releasing documents on koala cull plans

What koalafications do you need to count SA’s favourite marsupial? And how does we count them? They’re questions that aren’t being answered — and the state’s freedom of information watchdog is not happy.

• An ecological disaster is brewing on Kangaroo Island with koalas set to decimate native vegetation
• How to get the most from your Advertiser digital subscription

How do you count koalas? It seems like a pretty simple question.

But the department responsible for monitoring koala numbers in South Australia are declining to release its counting methodology.

And the state’s freedom of information (FOI) watchdog is not happy.

Labor MP Blair Boyer has sought reports, documents and briefings on estimated numbers, sterilisation and culling plans for koalas in the Adelaide Hills, the Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island.

But the Department of Environment and Water (DEW) has refused a raft of documents for a number of reasons including Cabinet confidence, personal affairs, business affairs and the conduct of research internal.

The South Australian Ombudsman Wayne Lines has asked the department to go back to its files and produce dozens of documents that would help the public understand how it is handling koala numbers in the state.

Mr Lines, who has repeatedly called for an overhaul of Freedom of Information laws in SA, has given the department one of his most frank assessments.

“I consider it appropriate to comment on what I consider to be unreasonable conduct by the agency,” Mr Lines said in a determination sent to the department.

“I can only speculate as to why such inadequate submissions have been given to the exemption clauses (replied upon to withhold the information) … under the FOI act.

“It is possible there has been an overabundance of caution, an excessively secretive approach, or a lack of understanding of the FOI Act by the agency’s FOI officers.”

Mr Boyer told the Sunday Mail his FOI request was prompted by confusion in the community, including from wildlife rescue groups, about actual koala numbers and the justifications for sterilisation and culling programs.

“They have a very different view of koalas number in the Adelaide Hills and often do not support suppression numbers,” he said.

“These are astounding lengths this department has gone to to prevent details about koalas becoming public.”

Survey’s estimate there are about 150,000 koalas in the Mt Lofty Ranges and Adelaide Hills where there has been a sterilisation project planned.

The department estimates there are about 60,000 koalas on Kangaroo Island but the figures has been disputed by many on the island who believe the number could be as high as 100,000.

A department spokeswoman said it DEW is “reviewing and preparing a response to the Ombudsman’s provisional determination on this FOI application” where he made his criticisms.

“DEW acts in accordance with the FOI Act which promotes transparency and accountability of policy making, administrative decisions and service delivery,” she said.